AI Initiative

Faculty members from various disciplines and a leading expert from the University of Notre Dame came together on Oct. 2, 2020 for a one-day eSymposium on artificial intelligence (AI).

AI refers to computer systems that collect, interpret and learn from external data to achieve specific goals and tasks.

AI is having an increasingly significant impact on society, health care and the labour force.

Questions have been raised about the ethics and social implications of AI in a growing number of areas.

Dr. Greg Naterer, dean, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, along with Dr. Travis Fridgen, acting dean, Faculty of Science; Dr. Jennifer Simpson, dean, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; Dr. Isabelle Dostaler, dean, Faculty of Business Administration; and Dr. Ian Sutherland, dean, School of Music, were instrumental in organizing the eSymposium.

The aim of the event was to increase the knowledge, understanding and applications of AI at Memorial; raise the profile, visibility and impacts of AI work being done at Memorial; and build interdisciplinary collaborations in technical and non-technical research in AI – from pure research to applied project and social and health impacts.”

The eSymposium highlighted the multidisciplinary collaborations among researchers and leveraged the expertise to apply AI tools to new areas. The goal is for Memorial to become a growing hub of activity for networking in emerging areas of AI.

Themes of the eSymposium included the history and past development of AI; current progress in AI; and future directions of AI, such as research, opportunities and threats.

Dr. Ahmed Abbasi, University of Notre Dame, presented. Nine panelists covered topics such as algorithms; robotics; social and ethical implications; fisheries and aquaculture; business processes; health care; education; multidisciplinary applications; and earth science.

For further information, please contact Dr. Naterer, or click on the following: